Coin adjusting mechanism for newspaper dispensers

ABSTRACT

A latch adjusting mechanism for use in a coin operated vending machine which changes the distance between the latch operating mechanism and the coin detecting mechanism. The denomination, which measured by the combination of coins, is necessary to operate the latch may be quickly and easily altered by adding or removing the mechanism which may be stored within the vending machine.

Wise

United States Patent 191 [451 Feb. 12, 1974 COIN ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR NEWSPAPER DISPENSERS [76] Inventor: Robert F. Wise, 4518 Colby St.,

I Everett, Wash. 98201 [22] Filed: Nov. 29, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 202,780

[52] US. Cl. 194/71 [51] Int. Cl. G07f 17/14 [58] Field 0fSearch...194/54,'71, 68, 74, 75, DIG. 2, l94/DIG. 4

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/l965 Knickerbocker 194/54 601,189 3/1898 Welch l94/DIG. 2

Primary Examiner-Robert B. Reeves Assistant Examiner-Th0mas E. Kocovsky 57 ABSTRACT A latch adjusting mechanism for use in a coin operated vending machine which changes the distance between the latch operating mechanism and the coin detecting mechanism. The denomination, which mea sured by the combination of coins, is necessary to operate the latch may be quickly and easily altered by adding or removing the mechanism which may be stored within the vending machine.

6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures .PAiENrgn rmlzlm Y j 379L506 v INVENTOR.

ROBERT F. WISE ATTORNEYS COIN ADJUSTING MECHANISM FOR NEWSPAPER DISPENSERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Coin vending machines have been in extensive use for some time dispensing a great variety of items of all sizes and shapes. Dispensing newspapers from vending machines has become quite a commonplace practice due to the increase in labor costs and mobility of the population plus the desire to be continuously informed even while traveling.

The coin accepter mechanism of most newspaper vending machines is normally'convertible to change the coinage necessary for opening the box to purchase a A newspaper seller may normally maintain a very large number of vending machines and early on a Sunday morning, for example, papers must be delivered to each machine and the coin accepter changed to provide for the correct combination of coins necessary for operating the latch. On Monday the reverse process must be done to the coin accepter. Even though machines may be placed relatively close to each other, the time involved in transporting the papers from place to place as well as changing the vending mechanism consumes a great deal of time thus making it virtually impossible for the vendorto have his machines stocked at the time that the purchaser would like to acquire his morning paper.

One of the means by which the vendors have been able to foreshorten the timerequired to stock the vending machines is to hire assistants who are then given the duty of stocking the vending machines as wellas changing the coin vending mechanism to the new denomination. Unfortunately, many of the people who are hired to do the changing for the vendor are not completely trustworthy and the prior art coin vending mechanisms have required the person changing the amount of coinage which will open the latch to get into the coin box itself. It is quite often the case that the vending machine will contain a fair amount of coinage and the temptation to empty the box while changing the mechanism sometimes becomes very strong, much to the detriment of both the vendor and the person who is pilfering the coinage. i

In an attempt to solve the problem of rapidly changing the denomination which will unlatch the door of the vending machine as well as removing temptation from the person actually doing the changing of the mechanism it is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanism whereby it may be adjusted such that the latch is disengaged for different c'oinages without giving access to the coin-containing elements.

It is another object of the present invention to pro-- vide a mechanism for use in newspaper vending machines wherein the conversion from one coin combination to another involves no more than the addition or removal of simple mechanisms which are stored within the vending machine when not in use, thus making it always available for use at the appropriate time.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a means for changing the amount of coinage or combination of coinage needed to operate the latch mechanism which means is simple and easy to apply thus making it possible for the vendor to hire either a young or somewhat handicapped person to till his boxes and change the coin mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an environmental view showing a typical coin operated newspaper vending machine within which the subject invention may easily be applied.

FIG. 2 is an environmental view showing the typical coin receiving slot with the latch operating mechanism to which the present invention could be applied shown schematically.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of a coin supporting base element typically used in the latch operating mechanism of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged isometric view of another style of base member used in a typical coin operated vending machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Depicted in FIG. 1 is a typical newspaper vending machine wherein the newspapers 2 are placed in generally upstanding stack so the headlines may be seen within a closed box having top 4 and bottom 6 made out of a metallic substance and a generally U-shaped front 8 made out of a clear plastic substance such as the purchaser may determine whether'or not there are any papers within the box and allowing the box to be a displaying means. The box is normally provided with a coin receiving mechanism 10 to accept the proper change and open the box and legs 12 which place the box at a reasonable height without adding unnecessary bulk or weight.

As seen in FIG. 2 a typical coin receiving mechanism includes a coin receiving slot, not shown because it is located behind other mechanism, and a coin chute 14 to guide the coins from the coin receiving slot to the latch operating mechanism designated in general as 16 and described in greater detail hereinafter.

In a typical coin chute, as shown in FIG. 2, the coins will flow under 'this influence of gravity, guided by the chute 14, passing one or more pawls 18 which allow the coins to pass in a downward direction but will not allow their return up the slot. In general the pawls 18 are the operating mechanism for the latch in that when a sufficient number of coins in the right combination are located between the latch operating mechanism 16 and the appropriate pawl l8 the coins themselves serve as a cam to move the base member 17 of the latch operating mechanism 16 in a downward direction unlatching the door and allowing the purchaser to remove his newspaper. The particular latch operating mechanism is not considered critical tothis invention and so is not described in greater detail. .Access to the details of operation and construction of this mechanism is reasily available from a multiplicity of commercial sources.

It is noted hereinabove that one of the problems which is faced by newspaper vending operators is in changing the combination of coins which is required to unlatch the mechanism differentiating between a daily newspaper and a Sunday newspaper. If, for example,

the price of the daily newspaper is ten or fifteen cents and the Sunday newspaper is 25 or 30 cents, then the combination of coins required to make 25 or 30 cents will form within the chute a taller stack than the stack made by the necessary combination for the ten or cent paper. One of the means which has been used in v the past to adjust the latch operating mechanism has been to open the shield which covers the coin chute and coin receiving mechanism, loosen the pawl attaching means and move the pawl to the proper position so that the latch will be opened with the different combination of coins.

Referring now in particular to FIG. 3 which shows the base member 17 of the latch operating mechanism 16 as depicted generally in FIG. 2 it is to be noted that the coins would stack up on their edges guided by the chute 14 on top of latch tongue 20 having an upwardly projecting cam 22. When the proper combination of coins is stacked upon the latch tongue 20 adjacent the cam surface 22, the top of the stack will contact the appropriate pawl v18 and since the coins cannot move upwardly, cause the cam 22 to move the latch tongue downwardly against the spring 24. A typical newspaper vending machine includes a door that opens to allow access to the paper, as opposed to other vending machines which actually dispense the article selected. The latch which secures the door is retained in a locked position by the latch tongue. When the door is opened or attempted to be opened, the latch tongue moves relative to the coin chute and the proper combination of coins forms a solid element between the latch tongue and a pawl thus causing the latch tongue to depress and allowing the 'door to be opened. The improper or insufficient combination of coins will simply move upwardly in the slot, not providing sufficient resistance to cause the tongue to depress. The latch operating mechanism depicted in FIG. 3 includes a mounting plate 26 adaptd to be secured to the vending machine and having a pair of generally parallel outwardly projecting ears 28 between which are mounted the spring 24 and the pin about which latch tongue 20 pivots. Rigidly secured to latch tongue 20 is a depending latch operating mechanism 30 which moves with the latch tongue and thus is controlled by the coinage deposited. It is to be noted that the entire latch operating mechanism 16 is designed to be secured to a portion of the coin receiving box as shown in phantom.

As noted above, the distance between the top surface of latch tongue 20 and the pawl 18 is the critical distance and it is proposed herewith to provide an adjusting element 32 of a predetermined size which makes the mechanism operative for a different combination of coins. The adjusting mechanism 32 has a magnetic base 34 and a wear resistant upper portion 36. The adjusting element 32 is adapted to sit upon the latch tongue 20 and hasa predetermined thickness and upper profile making it possible to operate the latch mechanism and thus open the box for coinage having a lesser total height when stacked on edge. Thus, it can be seen that with the use of the present mechanism a person who is operating the newspaper dispensing mechanism need only remove the adjusting element from a place whereat it is attached by its magnetic base 34 within the vending machine and place it upon the latch tongue for use with a lesser stack thus enabling a quick and rapid change from the daily to the Sunday denomination.

The removal of the adjusting element 32 will again place the mechanism in its original condition.

FIG. 4 depicts another type of latch operating mechanism wherein the device is adapted to receive coins in two separate slots thus making the possible combination for opening the mechanism far greater. As was described hereinabove with respect to the mechanism of FIG. 3 this mechanism likewise has a base portion 40 adapted to be secured to the inside of the box and a pair of outwardly projecting ears 42 which pivotally support a latch tongue 44 which is spring biased to a position whereat the 'rearwardly extending portion 46 rests against a stop 48 upon the base 40. The latch tongue has a pair of forwardly extending cam members 50 adapted to receive the coinage and operate in much the same fashion as hereinabove described with respect to FIG. 3. In this instance, the adjusting mechanism comprises a generally magnetic base portion 52 adapted to conform to the cam mechanism and has as an integral portion thereof an overlying wear resistant metallic portion 54 which is adapted to wrap around the end of the cam 50 and thus secure the adjusting mechanism in position. As was described hereinabove, this mechanism likewise is designed and adapted such that the adjusting mechanism may easily and quickly be stored within the coin operated mechanism and may quickly and easily be attached or detached from the cam member 50.

Thus it can be seen that with the use of the shim members hereinabove described the coin vending machine operator may quickly and easily change his machine from that which will operate for the daily papers to that which will operate for the Sunday papers greatly decreasing the time involved and not necessarily allowing access to the coin receiving mechanism.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is'claimed are defined as follows:

1. A latch mechanism for use with a coin operated vending machine having a first portion containing a coin collection mechanism accessible only to a select few and a second portion accessible to. the general public comprising: an elongated coin chute accessible only from said first portion of the machine adapted to carry the coinage from an insert slot accessible from said second portion of the machine to a counting position whereat they rest upon a base element normally located in said first portion of the machine but exterior thereof when the machine is open, said base element pivotally mounted beneath the chute biased upwardly towards the chute, said base element having an upwardly facing cam surface, means within the chute relatively vertically fixed, for preventing upward movement of the coins but allowing free downward movement, said means located at a position whereat the correct coinage combination will substantially occupy the space between the stop and the base element and cause the base element to be cammed downwardly, opening the latch when the base element is moved transversely to the longitudinal access of the chute, and a latch adjusting means capable of being positioned without gaining access to said first portion of the machine resting on the top of the base element whereby the latch mechanism may be caused to openfor different denominations by simply adding and removing the latch adjusting means.

2. A mechanism as in claim 1 wherein the latch adjusting means includes a top portion of a predetermined thickness adapted to overly the bottom member and an interconnected bottom portion adapted to underlie the bottom member whereby the two elements are mechanically linked.

3. A mechanism as in claim 2 and further including a magnetic element secured to the latch adjusting means whereby the means may be conveniently stored upon any metallic surface.

4. In a coin operated latch mechanism for use in conjunction with a vending machine having a portion accessible to the public and a second portion containing a coin collecting device accessible only to those having a key, an adjusting means for rapidly and easily changing the coinage value which will cause the mechanism to unlatch, said latch mechanism comprising:

an elongated chute mounted vwithin saidsecond portion of the machine for receiving the coins and having a normally closed movable bottom member biased toward the closed position, said chute including pawls that to let coins pass in a downward direction but prohibit upward movement of the coins, whereby when the correct combination of coins are in the slot movement of the bottom member cams the bottom member downward and unlatches the mechanism, said mechanism further including a removable element of a shape complementary to the bottom member which varies the distance between the bottom member and the stop in the chute, the thickness of the removable element determining the coinage combination which will be admitted between the pawls and the bottom member whereby the required combination may be rapidly and easily altered, said removable element being positioned without gaining access to the second portion of the machine. 5. A mechanism as in claim 4 wherein the removable element is held in position upon the bottom member by magnetic attraction.

6. A mechanism as in claim 4 wherein there are two chutes adapted to receive coins of differing denominaadjusting means. 

1. A latch mechanism for use with a coin operated vending machine having a first portion containing a coin collection mechanism accessible only to a select few and a second portion accessible to the general public comprising: an elongated coin chute accessible only from said first portion of the machine adapted to carry the coinage from an insert slot accessible from said second portion of the machine to a counting position whereat they rest upon a base element normally located in said first portion of the machine but exterior thereof when the machine is open, said base element pivotally mounted beneath the chute biased upwardly towards the chute, said base element having an upwardly facing cam surface, means within the chute relatively vertically fixed, for preventing upward movement of the coins but allowing free downward movement, said means located at a position whereat the correct coinage combination will substantially occupy the space between the stop and the base element and cause the base element to be cammed downwardly, opening the latch when the base element is moved transversely to the longitudinal access of the chute, and a latch adjusting means capable of being positioned without gaining access to said first portion of the machine resting on the top of the base element whereby the latch mechanism may be caused to open for different denominations by simply adding and removing the latch adjusting means.
 2. A mechanism as in claim 1 wherein the latch adjusting means includes a top portion of a predetermined thickness adapted to overly the bottom member and an interconnected bottom portion adapted to underlie the bottom member whereby the two elements are mechanically linked.
 3. A mechanism as in claim 2 and further including a magnetic element secured to the latch adjusting means whereby the means may be conveniently stored upon any metallic surface.
 4. In a coin operated latch mechanism for use in conjunction with a vending machine having a portion accessible to the public and a second portion containing a coin collecting device accessible only to those having a key, an adjusting means for rapidly and easily changing the coinage value which will cause the mechanism to unlatch, said latch mechanism comprising: an elongated chute mounted within said second portion of the machine for receiving the coins and having a normally closed movable bottom member biased toward the closed position, said chute including pawls that to let coins pass in a downward direction but prohibit upward movement of the coins, whereby when the correct combination of coins are in the slot movement of the bottom member cams the bottom member downward and unlatches the mechanism, said mechanism further including a removable element of a shape complementary to the bottom member which varies the distance between the bottom member and the stop in the chute, the thickness of the removable element determining the coinage combination which will be admitted between the pawls and the bottom member whereby the required combination may be rapidly and easily altered, said removable element being positioned without gaining access to the second portion of the machine.
 5. A mechanism as in claim 4 wherein the removable element is held in position upon the bottom member by magnetic Attraction.
 6. A mechanism as in claim 4 wherein there are two chutes adapted to receive coins of differing denomination and each chute has a bottom member and a latch adjusting means. 